Decisions in the desert dunes
by SharpThorn
Summary: It passed days since Shahrzad escaped the palace with Tariq and Rahim. She left, but unwillingly. Khalid is the only one who can make her feel better, but he's not with her. A peek of Shahrzad's mind on what she will to do to return home. One-shot
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, guys!**

 **So here it is a little present for you! Everyone who reviewed this fic was so nice, saying amazing things about the story, that I decided to make an improvement. However, this doesn't mean I'm turning this into a multi-chapter story. This was supposed to be a one-shot, and it will remain so.**

 **Don't forget to review. Comments, suggestions, anything. Just don't be mean. :)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own "The Wrath and the Dawn". Its rights go to its owner and writer, Renee Ahdieh.**

 **Ok, here it goes. Remember, English is NOT my first language, so please forgive me for any mistake.**

 **Enjoy!**

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Shahrzad woke up with the sound of swords clashing.

Tariq and Rahim were again sparring. To her it seemed that was the only thing they did. Sparring and _guarding_ her.

Looking around her, a still sleepy Shahrzad examined the improvised but not less comfortable tent she was in. It had enough space for three also improvised floor beds, a small table, and bags that were used to transport their food, clothes, and others things they had been needing through their journey.

Sharhrzad welcomed those moments when she actually had the opportunity to be alone. Since that night at the palace, she hadn't had a single moment to herself. To think of what happened. To think of Khalid.

The past few days passed in a blur.

She always woke up with the warm morning sunlight kissing her face with its tenderness. However, that feeling quickly went away when the dreadful memories of the night she had been forced to leave the palace released in her mind endless worries.

She fears for Despina and her baby; she fears for Jalal, the father of her maid's child and cousin, as well protector, of her husband.

 _Oh, Khalid._

She could almost see him. The man she married. The man she swore to kill for the sake of all girls he sent to their deaths, for the sake of her long deceased best friend, who was not an exception. And, maybe the worst of all, the man who she fell in love with.

It seemed impossible. A cruel prank of the universe's merciless but unbreakable laws.

But there was nothing Shahrzad could do about it. The love was there. Every time she locked her eyes on his; every time she thought about him; every time she looked to the ring he gave her not so long ago. Now, it felt like they've been separated for more than a hundred years. And her aching heart was the proof.

Because he was home. Not to see him, not feeling his warm embrace, not kissing his lips, the same lips which transmitted all his love for her when his eyes couldn't, all of that was unbearable.

At some point, Shahrzad realized the sound of sparring had stopped. Carefully to not make any noise, she peeked through the tent's opening and saw Tariq and Rahim talking quietly to each other.

"Tariq, for God's sake! What do you expect me to do? Knock her out with a rock, hoping she'd lose the memories of the last few weeks?"

"Of course not!" Running his hands through his hair, Tariq replied to his friend, not making any attempts to hide the frustration in his voice. "But there must be something we can do! I don't want her to suffer, but Shahrzad can't return. Not to him."

"But why?"

The question left in the air a heavy silence and an incredulous Tariq staring at Rahim while this one appeared to be deep in thought. "You seriously didn't ask me that."

"No, I mean, I know why we wanted her out of that place. However, we never questioned why the king's cousin wanted the same thing."

Rahim's reply was all Tariq needed to get suspicious as well. "Now that you mention it, it does seem strange."

"I mean, he seemed very close to Shazi. Even you said so; that during the time you stayed at the palace you saw them acting as if they were friends. So, why the change of heart?"

"I don't know," answered Tariq. "At first, he didn't want us to take her, but then he suddenly did."

"You don't think – no."

"What?"

Looking at his friend, Rahim answered him with a grave tone that matched the serious expression on his face. "Is it possible someone was threatening Shahrzad? That he knew about that and wanted her to run away, as in, to hide from them?"

"The sultan," whispered Tariq. At that point, Shahrzad herself was getting her own conclusions, and very much like Tariq, she too thought about the sultan.

"The King's uncle? Why would he do such thing?"

"Uncle and nephew have a history. At least, that is one of the things I can be sure of," said Tariq. "But I don't think he would be stupid enough to actually do something, especially of this importance, and definitely not to Shahrzad."

"You're really sure of that, Tariq? Because I need to be honest with you, at this point I don't think I can."

Shahrzad had heard enough. She needed to go back. She needed answers. And she knew exactly what to do.

With fast movements, she went to the pile of clothes and dressed herself with some Tariq's clothes and took the opportunity to grab one of his daggers. Then, quiet as a mouse, she ran to where the horses had been left and holding on to one of the horses' mane, she rode like an amazon through the desert.

The wind passed through her and carried in it a promise. Promise of answers. Promise of a home.

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 **Hope you liked it! Don't forget to review, please!**

 **DarkAngelofHeavens**

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 **Note: As time passes, and I eventually remember other details or improvements that I want to add to the story, I will. So stay tuned! And don't forget to visit my other story "Not just a girl, but a Hero too".**


	2. Thank You!

Whoever you are, Guest, thank you so much!

You're my very first review. I was so happy to have someone saying such nice things about my fic, I was, and still am, thrilled!

In response to your question, unfortunately, no, I won't write another chapter. This fic was always supposed to be a one-shot. Kind of an experiment, in which, basically, I was trying to see what I could do, how far my writing skills and creativity could go. Let's hope I improve enough for me to have lots, and lots of reviews in the future. The good kind of reviews, obviously.

I rewrote the story, well, part of it. I think I corrected the mistakes, if not, my apologies. Remember, English is not my native language. Be patience with me.

I really don't know if the person who wrote the review is going to see this, but I really though he or she deserved a "thank you chapter" of his/her own.

Once again, thank you so much!

 **DarkAngelofHeavens**


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